In this day of gender confusion, political correctness, and spineless faith, we need male models. Men who exemplify true masculinity. Here I speak not of the overblown sort of a powerful sports figure or movie icon, but the strong, steady walk of a man who fears God, loves his family, and serves Christ’s church.

What was one of Satan’s primary strategies in tempting Eve? He called into question long-term consequences that had not had the time to come to fruition, “You will not surely die (v. 4).” Imagine Satan whispering to a 17 year old you, “You will not surely wind up with a broken marriage, jobless, or unable to think straight without your substance.” In both cases, Satan was short-term accurate and long-term wrong.

The gospel is not a story of how we went searching for God; it’s the tale of how he came searching for us. The Bible is not the record of man’s attempts to find God, but God’s attempts to find man. And why would he do it? As Isaiah says, “Because you are precious in my eyes, and I love you” (Isa 43:4).

Though my identity had been shattered into pieces innumerable, there was One who was shattered to bring me peace – in Him my identity rests. This has been my consolation. Many may see a White man, while others may see a Latino man, but my Lord, He sees a beloved son.